It was an unforgettable day for Rio Ngumoha.
Liverpool finished a difficult week on top as they consolidated their hold on the top five in the standings. first division with a 2-0 victory over Fulham.
Reds manager Arne Slot entered Saturday’s match under increasing scrutiny after Liverpool followed their FA Cup exit at the hands of Manchester City with a 2-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
Although their title hopes this season hang by a thread, Liverpool are in a strong position to return to Champions League play next season, and Fulham are seeing their own European aspirations take a hit.
Rio Ngumoha, operating on the left wing as part of five changes following the defeat to PSG, opened the scoring in the 36th minute with a fine individual effort that earned him his first goal at Anfield.
Mohamed Salah then marked his first game at Anfield since announcing he would leave Liverpool at the end of the season by doubling the lead after good work from teenager Ngumoha.
Liverpool were lucky that Fulham failed to finish nervy, and the level of pressure from the visitors in the closing stages offered another example of why there is so much scrutiny on Slot.
With fifth place confirmed as qualifying for the Premier League Champions League for the second consecutive season, Liverpool now have a four-point lead over sixth-placed Chelsea, who face Manchester City on Sunday.
Liverpool takes another step towards the Champions League
Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno was forced into early action to prevent Salah finding the bottom right corner, but Liverpool struggled to assert their early dominance and the visitors were growing into the game when Harry Wilson fired narrowly over the bar.
However, Fulham’s momentum was surprisingly halted by the impressive Ngumoha, whose first goal since the injury-time winner against Newcastle United in August saw him cut in from the left and find the far corner with a sublime shot after a dazzling display of footwork.
Four minutes later it was 2-0, with Ngumoha again in the spotlight when his ball inside the area was collected by Cody Gakpo, who showed superb composure to control and pass to Salah, whose shot left Leno with no chance.
To Fulham’s credit, the floodgates did not open thereafter and they continued to offer a threat in the second half, the danger they posed best illustrated by substitute Emile Smith Rowe sending in a golden opportunity narrowly from point-blank range after a superb cross from the left by Ryan Sessegnon.
Raul Jimenez attacked wide late on as Fulham pushed to at least score, but his profligacy ensured they fell eight points behind Liverpool. They could drop to 13th place on Sunday as the race for European places, which could still extend to ninth place, remains very crowded.
